Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “penalty mark” come from?

penalty mark (English) comes from English penalty, from Middle French pénalité, from French pénal, from Latin poenalis, from Latin poenā, from Ancient Greek ποινή, from Proto-Hellenic kʷoinā́, from Proto-Indo-European kʷoynéh₂ — to pay; to avenge.

penalty mark (English): a small white spot, painted on the grass, twelve...

Definitions

  1. a small white spot, painted on the grass, twelve...

Ancestry of “penalty mark”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishpenaltyA legal sentence; A punishment for violating...
2Middle Frenchpénalité—
3Frenchpénalpenal, criminal
4Latinpoenalispenal; of or pertaining to punishment
5Latinpoenā—
6Ancient Greekποινήblood money, wergeld; fine, ransom, penalty,...
7Proto-Hellenickʷoinā́—
8Proto-Indo-Europeankʷoynéh₂payment; punishment, vengeance
9Proto-Indo-Europeankʷey-to pay; to avenge
Every word from Proto-Indo-European kʷey- →